Business

Americans increasingly unhappy with Biden’s handling of economy: poll

An increasing number of Americans are unhappy with how President Biden is handling the economy compared to when the president first took office, according to a new poll.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll released on Sunday shows 74% of Americans say the economy is in bad shape, up from 58% in the spring of 2021.

As the U.S. Federal Reserve increases interest rates to combat record-high inflation, 84% of respondents called the economy a top issue, while 74% said the same for inflation going into the midterm elections in November.

Meanwhile, 62% say abortion is a top issue.

According to the poll, Republicans hold a 16-point lead over Democrats in trust to handle the economy and a 19-point lead in trust to handle inflation.

Fears of a recession loom after the U.S. Federal Reserve last week raised interest rates in a move to curb decades-high inflation.

Last week, the Fed lifted its benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 3% to 3.25%. It was near zero at the start of the year. The Fed also released a forecast suggesting its benchmark rate could be 4.4% by the year’s end, a full point higher than envisioned in June.

An increasing number of Americans are unhappy with how Joe President Biden is dealing with the economy.
An increasing number of Americans are unhappy with how Joe President Biden is dealing with the economy. Chris Kleponis – Pool via CNP /

On Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed for the sixth-straight day to $3.725 after declining for nearly 100 days in a row during the summer driving season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.